Government of Canada Actions in Support of Aboriginal People and Communities

On June 18, 2008, the Kelowna Accord Implementation Act received Royal Assent. The Act requires that the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development submit annual progress reports to Parliament during a five-year period beginning with the 2007-08 fiscal year. These reports outline the actions and investments made by the Government of Canada to improve the lives of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples across the country.

Since 2007, the Government has taken a number of significant actions in support of Canada’s Aboriginal people and communities, including:

  • The Prime Minister delivering a Statement of Apology to former students of Indian residential schools in 2008 and the Government issuing a Statement of Support endorsing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in November 2010.
  • Introducing the new Federal Framework for Aboriginal Economic Development, as well as key investments to support its implementation.
  • Ratifying and bringing into force 24 comprehensive land claims agreements and two stand-alone self-government agreements. These cover approximately 40 percent of Canada's land mass and impact 96 Aboriginal communities and more than 100,000 Aboriginal Canadians.
  • Signing a Framework Agreement on First Nation Health Governance in October 2011 with British Columbia First Nations and the Government of British Columbia.
  • Continuing to invest in First Nations water and wastewater infrastructure – $3 billion between 2006-07 and 2013-14.
  • Signing more than 30 tripartite agreements in the fields of education, housing, social development, health, child and family services and consultation and accommodation.
  • Investing $1.23 billion on school infrastructure to support better school environments for First Nation children.
  • Leveraging $72.5 million worth of funding targeted specifically for Urban Aboriginal Strategy community-based projects from other federal departments, provinces and municipalities and the private and not-for-profit sectors.
  • Signing a Métis Nation Protocol with the Métis National Council in September 2008. The Protocol commitsto making progress on a broad range of objectives, including strengthening economic development.
  • Working with stakeholders, including provinces, territories and Inuit organizations, to develop the 2011 National Inuit Education Strategy. 
  • Jointly releasing with the Assembly of First Nations the Outcome Statement from the historic Crown-First Nations Gathering, with key priorities including education, economic development and governance.

Moving forward, Budget 2012 builds on many of these investments. In particular, and in direct response to the recommendations from the National Panel on First Nation Elementary and Secondary Education, the Government will work with willing partners to introduce a First Nation Education Act. The Government will also continue to invest in economic development for Aboriginal Canadians, and community infrastructure for First Nations communities.

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